A Common and Generalized Overview on Herbs of the Mint Family

The mint family contains several hundreds of herbs, that have been in use for various purposes for a long time. Spearmint, peppermint, oregano, basil, and thyme, are some of the common herbs, that belong to the mint family.

HolisticZine Staff

Last Updated: Feb 24, 2018

Some Information About the Mint Family

The mint family is also known as Lamiaceae, and contains approximately 6900 to 7200 species, some of which are herbs, while others are shrubs, subshrubs, and small trees. The members of the mint family are known for their strong and pleasant aroma. Basil, thyme, lavender, peppermint, spearmint, and rosemary, are some of the common herbs of the mint family, which have found a wide range of applications in human society.

The term 'herb', is commonly used for those plants, which can be used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume. But in American botanical English, herb is the abbreviation of herbaceous plants. In this article however, we have included some members of the mint family, such as holy basil and common sage, that are not herbaceous plants, but are widely known as herbs for their medicinal and culinary uses.

Herbs of the Lamiaceae (Mint) Family

Common Name

Botanical Name

Used as/ Grown for

Rock thyme

Acinos alpinus

Medicinal herb and garden plant

Basil thyme

Acinos arvensis

-

Santa Clara thornmint

Acanthomintha lanceolata

-

Anise hyssop/Blue giant hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

Medicinal plant, leaves are used for seasoning

Mexican giant hyssop

Agastache mexicana

Flavoring agent and herbal tea

Small-leaf giant hyssop

Agastache parvifolia

-

Korean mint/Blue licorice/Purple giant hyssop

Agastache rugosa

Medicinal and culinary herb, ornamental plant

Threadleaf giant hyssop/Licorice mint

Agastache rupestris

Ornamental plant

Nettle-leaf giant hyssop

Agastache urticifolia

Medicinal plant

Yellow bugle/Ground pine

Ajuga chamaepitys

Medicinal plant

Geneva bugleweed/Upright bugle/Blue bugleweed

Ajuga genevensis

Ornamental plant

Bugle/Blue bugle/Bugleweed

Ajuga reptans

Garden plant

Hairy wood mint/Hairy pagoda plant

Blephilia hirsuta

Garden plant

Downy wood mint/Ohio horsemint

Blephilia ciliata

Medicinal herb

Large-flowered calamint/Showy calamint/Mint savory

Calamintha grandiflora

Medicinal and ornamental plant, culinary herb

Lesser calamint

Calamintha nepeta

Culinary herb (in Italian cuisines)

Canary Islands-balm/Balm of Gilead

Cedronella canariensis

Garden plant

Dragon's head

Dracocephalum rupestre

Ornamental plant and a tea substitute

Moldavian dragonhead

Dracocephalum moldavica

Medicinal and ornamental plant, seeds are used for extracting oil

Red hemp-nettle

Galeopsis angustifolia

-

Large-flowered hemp-nettle

Galeopsis speciosa

Medicinal herb

Common hemp-nettle

Galeopsis tetrahit

-

Bifid hemp-nettle/Split-lip hemp-nettle/Common hemp-nettle

Galeopsis bifida

-

Spreading false pennyroyal

Hedeoma diffusa

-

Drummond's false pennyroyal

Hedeoma drummondii

Flavoring agent

American pennyroyal/American false pennyroyal

Hedeoma pulegioides

-

White nettle/ White dead-nettle

Lamium album

Medicinal plant, and vegetable

Henbit deadnettle/Greater henbit

Lamium amplexicaule

Edible plant

Yellow archangel

Lamium galeobdolon

Ornamental plant

English lavender/Common lavender/True lavender

Lavandula angustifolia

Culinary and medicinal herb, ornamental plant, also used in Aromatherapy

French lavender

Lavandula dentata

Medicinal and ornamental plant, oil is used in perfumes

French lavender/Spanish lavender

Lavandula stoechas

Ornamental and medicinal plant, also used in air fresheners and insecticides

Flavoring agent (in vermouths and liqueurs), used in perfumes and aromatherapy

Scarlet sage/Tropical sage

Salvia splendens

Ornamental plant

Woodland sage

Salvia nemorosa

Ornamental plant

Mexican bush sage

Salvia leucantha

Ornamental plant

Chia

Salvia hispanica

Edible seeds

Summer savory

Satureja hortensis

Medicinal and culinary herb

Winter savory

Satureja montana

Culinary and medicinal herb

Nose skullcap/Snapdragon skullcap

Scutellaria antirrhinoides

Garden plant

Baikal skullcap

Scutellaria baicalensis

Medicinal plant (in Chinese traditional medicine)

Scarlet skullcap or Costa Rican skullcap

Scutellaria costaricana

Houseplant

Common skullcap/Hooded skullcap

Scutellaria galericulata

Medicinal herb

Blue skullcap/Hoodwort/Virginian Skullcap/Mad-dog Skullcap

Scutellaria lateriflora

Medicinal plant

Mountain skullcap/Large-flowered skullcap

Scutellaria montana

-

Dwarf skullcap

Scutellaria nana

Medicinal plant

Coleus/Painted nettle

Solenostemon scutellarioides

Ornamental plant

Chinese artichoke

Stachys affinis

Root crop

Lamb's ear

Stachys byzantina

Garden plant

Scarlet hedgenettle

Stachys coccinea

Ornamental plant

Betony/Purple betony/Bishopwort

Stachys officinalis

Medicinal plant

Stiff hedgenettle/Perennial yellow woundwort

Stachys recta

-

Marsh woundwort/Marsh hedgenettle

Stachys palustris

Edible plant

Alpine betony

Stachys monnieri

Garden plant

Guyandotte beauty

Synandra hispidula

-

Wall germander

Teucrium chamaedrys

Ornamental and medicinal plant

Wood sage/Woodland germander

Teucrium scorodonia

Ornamental plant

Lemon thyme/Citrus thyme

Thymus citriodorus

Culinary and medicinal herb, ornamental plant

Caraway thyme

Thymus herba-barona

Culinary herb, garden plant

Forked bluecurls

Trichostema dichotomum

Garden plant

Vinegar weed

Trichostema lanceolatum

Medicinal plant

Several herbs of the mint family have been used as herbal medicines, for treating certain diseases and disorders from time immemorial. Several studies conducted in this regard have also disclosed the possible benefits of many of these herbs, in containing various diseases. However, studies have also cautioned against consuming an excessive amount of mint herbs. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult a health expert, before using these herbs for medicinal purposes.